


When Needs Become Must

by MidnightSun92



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Dagur the Deranged Being an Asshole, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mild Language, No Smut, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28536558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightSun92/pseuds/MidnightSun92
Summary: After growing up with terrible parents, being divorced, and have everything taken from him other than his job and daughter, Dagur promised himself he would never allow himself to be used as a doormat again. That it was easier to be cruel than kind.Enter one Henry (Hiccup by his friends) Haddock, some who gave as good as he got and received most of Dagur's bullying.
Relationships: Dagur the Deranged/Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	When Needs Become Must

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to have this out days ago for a New year's present to my fans, but kept getting side tracked. Yes, we have a daddy Dagur and he's adorable. Anyways, happy late New Year's and hope you have a good one. Love you all.

"You're doing that thing again," the voice of a young girl said from beside him, startling the man sitting next her on the park bench. She gave him the 'look', the look she must have learned from her aunt, when he turned his eyes back to hers.

"What thing?" he asked innocently in a grumble while looking away, taking a bite from his steak and cheese sub.

She scoffed in disappointment, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Staring creepy stalkerish at him." She pointed, straight towards an auburn haired man throwing a ball across the park's field for his black lab mix to fetch. "You only stare creepily like that when you want something. Just ask him out already."

"You're ten, my love life shouldn't matter to you. Besides... he hates my guts." Chomp, another bite from his sandwich, this one larger.

"Dad, I'm you're daughter and tired of you staying home on Friday nights with a tub of ice cream and me to keep you company. And what have you done to make people hate you? You're so loveable." She finished the last bit of her chips, looking naive at the prospect that her father could be anything but loveable. At least at work...

Dagur gave a nervous laugh after swallowing thickly down the unnecessary large bite. "Don't ever lose that belief of me once I explain why he hates my guts. I'm not exactly... nice."

"Like I'm the boss and you're all idiots kind of not nice or I'm the boss and don't want to be perceived as a walking doormat kind of not nice?" She crumbled up her trash and stood up to throw it away in the bin chained to the ground just a few yards away before sitting back down next to him, looking at him expectedly.

"Both I guess... how can someone so young and made from me be so perceptive?" He glared at his daughter halfheartedly and shook his head, mind still blown at the young woman beside him. If he hadn't fought for her as hard as he did, who knows when he would have gotten to see her next.

The woman he had married right out of school and impregnated just months after tying the knot was everything he wanted. And he believed that was what she wanted as well... until the baby was born. Mala had changed, the love she once held for their baby girl when still in her stomach had vanished; leaving behind a spiteful woman who only took care of Bella because she had to. Not because she wanted to. Dagur thought it was just postpartum depression that was taking time to fix itself (she refused therapy). Not even three years after the birth, she suddenly slammed him with the divorce papers during a surprisingly wonderful dinner one night when he thought things were looking up.

The divorce with his ex-wife wasn't at all what he was told it would be. Mala had promised they wouldn't fight over who gets what as she didn't want the house or all of his useless things, but she had lied and winded up taking everything from him other than his job; forcing him to move back in with his parents for a time. Then the custody battle started not long after, but he had been ready; gathering all the evidence he needed to prove he was better for Bella. Mala lost, ungracefully, and neither one of them saw her again.

He wasn't the same after that. Always pessimistic and pushing people away to keep from getting hurt again. His actions just became more cruel over the years as it was easier and worked as a way to let out his frustrations, especially at work. But now... he stared at the auburn haired man again as a wistful look morphed across his face. His actions may have ruined his chance to date someone he actually thought would be worth it.

"I get it from you. Obviously."

Dagur snorted out a chuckle of humor at her snarkiness, taking in the posh way she said it.

"What exactly have you done to make him dislike you?" she proceeded to ask.

"Look at you, sounding like such an adult."

"Don't deflect from the question."

He raised an impressed brow. "I don't talk kindly to him. Ever. I'm impolite and always start disagreements with him." No actual fights as that would have turned ugly real quick.

"Why?"

It was such a simple question to a not so simple answer. "And there in lies the question. Honestly, I have no idea." 

When Henry (nicknamed Hiccup by friends) first joined the company as the financial manager, Dagur disliked him at first glance. The auburn wore a sweater a size too large, a pair of relaxed fitted jeans that were threadbare at the bottom from rubbing along the floor, and a pair of scuffed up high tops. He was told the new financial manager came from money, but the man that stood before him that day looked anything but. It rubbed him the wrong way and immediately they got off on the wrong foot, neither trying to correct it as days passed. Somehow along the way, he started to enjoy their banters, even when some of them hit closer to home than he would have liked, and found himself immediately drawn to the auburn whenever the financial manager was in the room. It didn't take long to realize what he felt for Henry and didn't deny it, though he still struggled to accept it.

"Is it because of what mom did that you keep pushing everyone away do you won't be hurt again?" Bella innocently asked as she kicked her feet, no longer able to look directly at him.

He pinched his brows together in confusion because, seriously, she was ten and yet had the brain of a fifty year old wise woman. She was supposed to be playing ponies with her friends and not act so keen on her father's mental stability. As much as he wanted to deny her theory, he promised to never lie to her. "Probably. Maybe... ok yes!"

"You know that's wrong, yes?"

"Of course I know smarty pants. Just easier to be mean..."

"More manly to be kind."

"Pff, stop acting like my mother. Or better yet, stop acting like your aunt Heather." He was starting to become uncomfortable with this conversation and was ready to be done with it.

She smiled pityingly at him and placed a hand over his. "Says the man who *told* me to act more like my aunt."

"That was before I realized how... Adultish you were becoming. No ten year old should have these kind of conversations with her father."

"No thirty year old man should need to have this kind of conversation with their daughter. But here we are." She waved out her hands in grand gesture, grinning teasingly. "Obviously you won't talk to aunt Heather about these things and you won't lie to me aaand you can't exactly run away unless you want to leave me here. All alone in a park. With a few homeless men...."

"Ohmygod..." he mumbled while rubbing a hand over his face. "...you're a pain in my ass. You know this, right?" 

"Know and enjoy it. And now you owe ten bucks to the swear jar."

He glared bemusedly at his daughter, not seeing the man of his affections jogging towards them with a cautious look.

"Why not just give me the ten bucks now because we know it's not going to last long in the jar and I'll go get us some ice cream. Hm? I bet they have you're favorite," she sing songed. 

He rolled his eyes and pulled a twenty out from his wallet, handing it to her. "Fine. But make sure you save the change and use it for your school lunches."

"Yes! Thank you dad!" She lunged towards him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, almost choking him. "I'll be right back!" She jumped up and began to run towards an ice cream vendor strolling about the concrete path around the park, passing by Henry who she barely noticed in favor of ice cream.

But he noticed and scowled while his heart raced in excitement, his inside and outward emotions contradicting each other. He made a sound of displeasure. "Henry."

"Dagur," the auburn greeted back with just as much distain.

He stared at the other blankly, clenching his jaw to keep from saying anything rude as they were at the park and not in the office where his daughter could come back any minute. Besides, if Dagur ever wanted a chance with Henry, it was about time he actually treated the other with the respect he deserved. "Anything I can help you with this beautiful sunny day?" He mentally grimaced at how condescending he sounded.

Henry gave him a glare and crossed his arms. "I thought a little girl was in trouble, wanted to help... that is until she hugged you and called you dad. Kinda... weird."

"Why? Because I have a daughter or because I'm showing affection?" Dagur leaned back on the bench and crossed his own arms over his chest, a teasing smirk growing over his mouth.

"Both. But mostly weird in the way that someone would willingly procreate with you... they were willing, weren't they?"

The smirk dropped, replaced by a look of anger and disbelief. "If that was a joke, it was a poor one," Dagur replied coldly, almost enjoying the guilty look that came over Henry. He may be an ass, but there were certain things even he wouldn't joke about.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Henry mumbled, full of shame.

Dagur raised a brow. That was a first. Never has the other ever apologized (before learning Dagur was an asshole excluded) to him and it felt... wrong. For so many reasons, but mostly because in a way Dagur deserved it. Especially from Henry. After a tense moment and a quick glance towards his daughter to see her still picking out ice cream, Dagur sighed and let his shoulders droop, face softening a bit.

"Look, I may have deserved that for all the bullshit I put you through, but still. Not cool. If it makes you feel any better, I will hunt down anyone who hurts my daughter and pull their heart out through their ass. You included."

Henry's eyebrows rose high up his forehead at the crude comment and nodded in understanding. "Alrighty then, I'll keep that in mind."

"Good, not like you would anyways," Dagur incidentally grumbled out loud while watching his daughter make her way back towards them with more than enough ice cream for two people.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Henry asked curiously, drawing Dagur's gaze back to him.

"Hm?"

"What makes you think I wouldn't? Hurt your daughter I mean?"

Dagur felt himself smirk broadly and shook his head. "You're too good, Henry. You'd never intentionally hurt anyone if you can help it. Unless it's me of course, but only because you don't allow me to use you as a fucking doormat. That's probably why I find you so annoyingly admirable; you give as much as you take." His face gaped open into an 'oh shit' expression once he realized what he just admitted and knew if he backtracked now, he would dig himself deeper into a hole.

"You think I'm admirable?" the auburn teased in slight surprise, placing his hands on his hips as he shifted most of his weight onto one foot.

"Don't let it go to your head," he grumbled.

"That's something I should be saying to you."

"Shut your donut hole."

A genuine smile filled Henry's mouth as an amused huff escaped. Dagur felt his heart skip at how perfect it seemed, how perfect Henry seemed, and returned the smile with a grin of his own. His face softened and Henry's suddenly jolted into one of surprise, a light flush coloring his lightly freckled cheeks. Before Dagur could question it, Bella plopped down beside him and handed him a Snickers ice cream bar.

"They didn't have any Kit-Kat ice cream so-oh! Hello!" she interupted herself when she noticed Henry and smiled brightly at the auburn. "You're that guy with the dog!" She looked down and around, slowly frowning when no dog was spotted.

"He's, uh, preoccupied at the moment with a squirrel," Henry explained when he noticed her searching. The auburn looked over his shoulder and Dagur followed his gaze, spotting the lab mix sitting at the edge of the woods and staring up.

Bella giggled. "Do you know my dad?"

"Kinda? I mean, we work together. Well, not together, but we work in the same business doing different things far, far away from each other."

Dagur quirked an eyebrow at the unnecessary and winded way Henry explained, holding back a humourous grin.

"Oh! You must be Henry! Dad talks about you all the time."

Dagur's eyes widened and blanched as he jerked his head towards his daughter. "Bella," he warned softly.

Henry's eyes widened as well with shock as his eyebrows rose before his face quickly morphed into one of embarrassed interest. "Really?" He sounded suspicious as he turned his gaze towards Dagur. 

"Yup! He thinks you're pretty."

"Bella!" Dagur stared at his daughter in horror, gathering her attention.

"What? It's not like you're ever going to ask him by yourself, I'm just trying to help."

Dagur closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself, not willing to chance a glance towards Henry when he opened his eyes. "There's a very a good reason I haven't."

"Even if you had, I wouldn't say yes," Henry murmured.

This drew Dagur's eyes towards the auburn and he frowned questioningly. "Really? Why not?" As soon as it left his mouth he knew how rediculous it was asking that question.

"Seriously? Because you're an aaaas-jerk. You're the biggest 'jerk' I have ever met by far and I don't date condescending bas-uh, jerks."

Dagur felt the audacity to feel ashamed at being called a jerk (asshole, bastard), but he held the other's gaze as his face closed itself off. "Hm..."

"I gotta go. It was nice meeting you Bella." Henry gave her a small smile, shaking her hand when she held it out. When he refocused on Dagur, his lips drooped and nodded curtly at him. "Dagur." He walked off towards the direction of his dog and gave a sharp whistle that started off high then dropped an octave before sharply returning and cutting off. The dog left the squirrel to run towards the auburn, panting and wagging its' tail once reached.

When Dagur looked at his daughter nonchalantly, he had to do a double take when he noticed the expression on her face. It was one of disappointment and disbelief. "What?"

"You're a hypocrite," she answered crossly as she pouted angrily.

"No I'm-do you even know what that means?" Maybe it was time to get rid of the dictionary and thesaurus and get her some real books her age. Or maybe ground Heather for a month for teaching Bella so many adult words.

"Yes and that is what you're being." She huffed and stood up from the bench with her melting ice cream. "You tell me so many times not to be mean to other kids at school. But you're mean to people at your work. Very mean if Henry doesn't want to date you."

Before Dagur could reply, something cold ran down his wrist and looked to see his ice cream bar was melting, making his hand sticky. He groaned in disgust while lowering his hand to keep it from dripping down his arm. "Work is different."

"No it's not. You can be nice and still be the boss like Uncle Jay is at his work." If her arms weren't full, she would have placed her hands on her hips like she had seen Heather done so many times.

"Jay is the boss of a simple flooring company while I manage a multimillion dollar toy company. I have to be mean in order for things to run smoothly," Dagur said in an almost condescending tone, Heather's husband being brought into the conversation left a foul taste in his mouth. He dropped the bar onto the ground before standing up to use the drinking fountain to wash off his hand. "If I don't keep my employees in line, things could fall apart."

"But do you know that?"

"Yes."

"How?'

Dagur sighed in irritation as he shook water from his hand and scowled down at Bella. "I just do, ok? If I let up for one second, they'll be walking all over me before the week is over and I can't have that." Again was left unsaid and he hoped she wasn't as good at reading people as he was starting to believe she was.

"You don't really think people will walk all over you for showing a bit of kindness, do you? You could, like, set them right if you had to." Her tone had softened and her face became one of sadness, pitying.

"That's not how it works, not with businesses like this. I have to keep a firm hand or else everything goes to shit-yes I know ten bucks in the jar-and I just can't have that."

Bella chewed on her lower lip as she stared at him thoughtfully, eyes searching and making him uncomfortable. "Why don't you at least try? You can't really know unless you try. Aren't you always telling me that?"

Dagur mentally cursed himself for encouraging the kindness built into Bella to grow. "Yes, I am. But how am I supposed to go about that?"

"Apologize."

"Yeah, like it's that easy..." Dagur scoffed and began the trek towards his car, Bella right beside him and holding his hand. His whole body loosened at the feel of her tiny hand in his and gently squeezed it.

"It can be if you try. And mean it."

Dagur glanced down at her and was almost blinded by her smile, feeling his resolve crumble. "Since you have all he answers apparently, what else should I do?"

She smiled brilliantly at him and hurried them along, pulling on his hand. "I have a whole list of ideas and a book you should read. First..."

Dagur closed his eyes and let his head drop in defeat, wondering what the hell had he gotten himself into.

...

It would be over a week later when Dagur started on the path of reconciliation, still believing the idea was a bad one. It was during a conference meeting going over polls and what not with different floor managers and other important people, but still beneath him considering his position as CEO, when he decided to take the first step forward. Henry was one of those people sitting in the room as he was the financial manager and made the process of opening his mouth that much harder once the meeting was over. But he had to be quick before anyone could escape back to their own floors, offices, or cubicles and before he lost his confidence.

"Before you all go," Dagur started, stilling anyone in their seats. "There is something that I should, personally, tell you." He could feel the tension amp up ten fold at this and could see the stiffness in his employees' shoulders, waiting for the inevitable verbal beat down. This gave Dagur pause, forcing him to realize how badly he had been treating the people who worked under him, more than he originally thought. "I'm... sorry." He physical winced as if he was in pain. "It has come to my attention on how I have been treating you all and I apologise for acting as a boss and not as a leader."

Dagur took a moment to breathe before continuing, watching as the others in the room looked amongst each other in confusion. "I will *try* to be better and *listen* to your ideas before rejecting them." He ground out the words try and listen as annoyance filled him, wondering how he could ground Bella for putting him through this. "Please accept my apology, or don't, whatever. You may go." He grabbed his folders from the table and exited the room quickly, not noticing the way his employees were now too stunned to move.

Other than Henry, of course, who chased after him with a mild look of disbelief and confoundment. "What the hell was that?"

Dagur startled and turned on his heel to glare at the other for surprising him. "What the hell was what?" he snarked.

"That!" Henry pointed back down the hall towards the open conference room door where people were starting to trickle out. "You never apologize for anything."

"So?" Dagur furrowed his brows questioningly. "Why does it matter?"

Instead of answering, Henry narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are trying to accomplish?"

"Better work ethics? I'm not sure what you're trying to get at." Dagur decided this conversation wasn't worth his time or frustration and started back down the hall towards his office. 

And of course Henry followed him. "Whatever you're trying to pull, it's not going to work. I gave my answer and I'm sticking with it."

Dagur stilled just before reaching the open area of cubicles, the last obstacle between him and his office, and slowly turned to face the auburn with a look of incredulity. "Wait, you think that I'm trying to be a better person to win you over after your rejection at the park?" He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jesus..." He took in a deep breath through his nose and slowly let it out through his mouth like the book he had been reading taught him. "Know what? Think whatever the fuck you want because I don't have time for this." 

He ignored the opened mouth look of shock the auburn was giving him and finished the trek to his office, closing and locking the door. The floor to ceiling wall of windows fogged up once the lock was in place, hiding him from his employees and their nosiness. 

"I am the sea, calm and wide, my sense of peace comes from the inside," Dagur sings, a song his daughter had taught him, quietly to himself while breathing slowly, hands over his chest. He sang it a second time, then a third, before he felt his anger and frustration cool just enough where he could focus on his work. With one last deep breath, he finally moved away from the door and sat down behind his desk.

...

Things had begun to change shortly after the half-assed apology, mostly on Dagur's part as he did his best to do better by his employees. It started by keeping calm and voice low rather than lose his cool and yell profanities, quickly followed by actually listening to his employees. It had come as such a shock that Dagur was often asked, tentatively, if he was feeling alright to which he would answer confusedly yes. It happened over the course of a month with only a few warming up to the idea that he might be changing for the better while others were still skeptical, waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak.

It was during a cold autumn day when views of Dagur began to rapidly change. The morning had started off as a wreck with his car not starting and the bus running late, making him late to the meeting he had first thing that morning in the office. And when the elevator doors opened, he was greeted to the sound of an infant crying and the sight of his employees doing their best not to meet his eyes, hunched over their desks and doing their best to pretend there wasn't a wailing baby waiting for him in his office. Well, his morning appointment holding a wailing baby if you please.

The anger and annoyance that had filled him disappeared once he entered his office. The woman had yet to notice him as her eyes were closed in exhaustion as she rocked her upper body from side to side in her seat, patting the baby's back and shushing them. She looked one sharp wail away from joining the poor child. Dagur felt her pain, experienced it before with Bella, and allowed himself to smile sympathetically as he closed the door with a quiet but still audible click. The woman, a Mrs. Glick, snapped her eyes opened and looked up at Dagur apologetically.

"I'm so sorry," she started hurriedly, moving to stand until Dagur motioned for her to stay seated. "My babysitter flaked out on me at the last second and I couldn't find another one and the nurseries around here are all full-"

"It's alright, Mrs. Glick, I completely understand," he interupted politely. "I've been in that sort of situation myself quite a few times."

She seemed to relax at this and let out a tired sigh. "Thank you." The baby continued to scream. "I'm so sorry about this. I don't know what's wrong. I can come back later-"

"Don't you worry about a thing, ok? May I?" He held out his hands, keeping a gentle smile on his face.

Mrs. Glick didn't even hesitate and carefully handed him the baby, the boy red in the face and swinging his arms about angrily.

"Come here little buddy," Dagur cooed as he cradled the infant in one arm, the baby's head held in his hand. His other hand gently prodded his stomach, something he used to do with Bella at this age, and groaned pityingly at the stiffness he felt. "Someone's got a bit of gas. Let's see if we can fix that."

He grabbed the baby blanket from the car seat that was seated near the woman's feet and placed it over his desk before setting the infant on top of it. Gently, he grabbed around the boy's shins and began to press the baby's knees down into his stomach, going from one side to the other and keeping the action soft, but hard enough to make the baby grunt a few times, before the baby finally let out a good amount of gas. It seemed to help as the baby had settled his crying, but not completely, and Dagur began the process of swaddling the babe. Tooted and swaddled, Dagur cradled the child once more, feeling nostalgic, and began rocking and lightly bouncing from side to side. The infant quickly quieted after that and the office settled into silence.

Unbeknownst to him, not only did the entire floor bore witness to this soft side of him, but Henry did as well. A few younger women almost swooned at the soft smile Dagur gave the tiny bundle of joy when he held him out from his chest to get a good look at the boy. 

"Oh thank God," Mrs. Glick sighed thankfully, sagging into her seat. "You have to teach me that trick."

"Bella, my daughter, was often gassy when she was this age. I had learned that little trick by myself on accident when changing a diaper. She had a sensitive stomach, but her mother would not quit eating dairy," Dagur explained as he brought the child's head to his nose, soft wisps of dark hair tickling his nostrils. Ah, still had the new baby smell. "But I think baby formula made from goat's milk should be very helpful. It is closer to breast milk than cow's... that is if you're not breastfeeding. If so, stay away from dairy products."

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied gratefully as she relaxed further into her chair.

Dagur nodded. "Why don't we move to the couch, it's much more comfortable than the chair."

Mrs. Glick stood and made her way over towards the leather couch before sitting gracefully down onto it. Dagur grabbed one of the chairs with one hand and set it across the coffee table from her. He sat down and placed an ankle over his knee before sitting the babe down in the middle of the triangle his leg made. The leg attached to the foot still on the floor rocked gently, keeping the baby asleep, allowing him to use both hands as he started the meeting.

Mrs. Glick wanted to partner up with the company, sell a small collection of their more vintage looking toys out of her sweet shop. She had drawn up the plans and came with all sorts of charts at the ready, making Dagur swell with impressiveness. By the end of the hour long meeting, Mrs. Glick was dead on her feet and Dagur was ready to sign. If weren't for the sleeping child, Brady, she would have squealed with excitement. When it came time to buckle Brady back into his car seat, Dagur readily did it for her and showed her another trick before tucking the blanket around the baby.

Feeling rather accomplished, Dagur ordered several boxes of donuts to celebrate the new partnership and had them delivered to his floor, surprising his employees. After that, it seemed as if a higher deity had taken a liking to him and pushed him into situations that had him show his better side. Like: a co-worker had a flat tire which Dagur helped change right there in the building's parking lot. He allowed his secretary to leave early so she could collect her sick son from school. He drove another woman home after a late shift so she wouldn't have to worry about creepers on the bus. He kept a man from getting fired because Dagur believed in the man's potential if he had been giving the proper training.

For several months it went on like this and Dagur found he rather liked this nicer side of himself. Not only did it relieve him from some of his stress, it also seemed to inspire his team. The office no longer seemed so tense and listening to his employees seemed to help them come up with newer products made with better materials. The only downside was that he had to learn from another that Henry and Astrid from the designers department were secretly dating, a very upsetting discovery that made no sense as office relationships among coworkers wasn't forbidden.

Seeing the two together made it all the more real, a sign that maybe it was time to move on. Which Dagur did try, for the life of him he really did, but the men and women he dated didn't hold that spark he felt with Henry and it wasn't fair to lead them on. The most awkward date he went on was with Bella's teacher and she did not take it very well when Dagur did not agree to go on a second date. Fortunately, she didn't give Bella a hard time for that.

Then Christmas came upon them with garish tinsel and Christmas lights everywhere, annoying holiday music on every station, and the smell of cinnamon pinecones or polperee (whatever was giving off the artificial smell) burned his nostrils whenever he entered onto his office floor. The loudness and scents of it all gave him headaches and he often found himself locked away in his bland office with noise cancelling headphones, a bottle of ibuprofen on his desk next to him. Normally he wouldn't allow any kind of festiviness on his floor, but once they noticed he hadn't stopped them this year when they started decorating their cubicles, it got a bit... much. To the point where Dagur kept his head down so he wouldn't be blinded by the many bright, glittering, and flickering things all over.

His odd behavior, well newest odd behavior, had his employees watch him strangely, especially when he locked his door to fog up the glass. Dagur usually made it a point to keep his door unlocked and windows defogged to give a sense that he was always watching (he wasn't) them. But he could not stand the flashing Christmas lights hung up all over the cubicles and windows (not his, he put his foot down at that) and needed the filter of his fogging windows to keep from having constant headaches.

As much as he made it seem like he hated Christmas, it was actually quite the opposite. He loved Christmas. Loved the old Christmas music (to a point!), the tree all covered in ornaments (fuck the lights and tinsel), the cookies, cakes, and other Christmasy pastries, and all the gifts underneath the tree (all the same simple wrapping paper). What he loved the most about it, though, was spending it with his daughter. Of course there was his sister and her family that he spent time with on this special day, but it didn't feel as important as getting to spend it with Bella.

And when Dagur took Bella to spend Christmas Eve night at Heather's home, spending most of the night to place wrapped toys under the tree while the children were sleeping, he felt at peace. His heart full of joy. Bella didn't wake when he clambered onto the air mattress next to her in the den, snuggling beneath the blankets and falling asleep quickly. It barely felt like minutes before he was shaken awake by an excited ten year old girl, a cacophony of noise flowing down the stairs. He got up with a grumble, pulled on a robe over his sweats and undershirt, and followed his daughter up the stairs to what seemed like a flour bomb had gone off in the kitchen.

Dagur could see the tension growing across Heather's shoulders as she tried to make breakfast along side her two boys while her husband took care of their newborn, the twins making quite a mess of themselves and their surroundings. Dagur took pity on her and booted her out of the way so he could finish making the pancakes. He put his foot down on the boys' tomfoolery and gave them two options, they could either pay attention and help him make breakfast without playing around or they could go play in their room for a bit to give their parents a bit of peace. The two boys chose the second option and thumped their way up the stairs, making Heather sigh in annoyance.

After breakfast came the opening of presents, creating a crime scene of ripped wrapping paper and cut open boxes that were quickly shoved into large trash bags. Surprisingly, there was minimal crying or tantrums caused by either children or adults, but plenty of joyful yelling and squealing that caused the grown-ups to wince at the pain done to their eardrums. Then when all was done, a relieving quiet filled the house. The boys had eaten a snack and had been put down for a nap, Bella was busy with her new coloring book, and infant Anette passed out into a milk coma.

Dagur had placed the trash bags into the garage and cleaned up the kitchen while Heather took the chance to rest, Jay picking up whatever scraps had been left behind around the tree. It was while Dagur was washing the dishes that he realized he had forgotten a present for Bella at his office; so much excitement going on that he completely spaced it.

"I'll be right back, I forgot something at the office," Dagur said after he had finished loading the dishes into the washer, drying his hands with a rag.

"Not work, is it?" Heather questioned as she placed Anette into her rocker. "Remember the last time you 'forgot' something at work and ended up missing dad's birthday dinner."

Dagur rolled his eyes as he tossed the rag back onto the kitchen counter. "No, it's not work. I left something in North's office that I had specially made that I need to pick up." He pointed at Bella and mouthed 'it's for her'.

Understanding morphed over Heather's face and she nodded. "How long will it take?"

"Not long if there's hardly anyone out and about." Dagur passed by them towards the door and replaced his robe with his coat, slipping on his boots. "Is there anything you need while I'm out? The gas stations are still open..."

"Nope, I'm fine." Heather laid fully down onto the couch and splayed herself across it in exhaustion. She'll be out like a light by the time Dagur came back.

He nodded to himself and left, silently cursing himself for not letting his car warm up a bit before hitting the road. Fortunately, his vehicle didn't take too long to heat up and was already turning down the fan before he was half way to the office building. He parked in front of the 'employees only' door in the parking garage and used his key card he kept in his wallet to enter. North's office was on the second floor where the toy designers did most of their tasks and sometimes made prototypes, cubicles no where to be seen and replaced by long plastic tables.

He paused when he first stepped out of the elevator and noticed a lone figure in the dark with a measly lamp beside him, wood chips all about him on the table. The ding of the elevator had the person look over their shoulder towards him before letting out a sigh of frustration, turning back to what they were doing before Dagur's appearance. Confused and a little worried, Dagur made his way over towards the person, man as he was coming to realize, and opened his mouth to say... something. He wasn't quite sure on what to do with the situation as he didn't know on whether the man sitting at the end of the table was a worker or burglar. 

A burglar carving out a piece of wood on Christmas and not bothering to run away at the sight of Dagur? Even he wouldn't believe that. There didn't appear to be anything stolen.

Worker it was then.

Dagur stopped once he reached the person, standing a few feet away from the end of the table and almost bumping into another. His brows rose high above his forehead when he took notice that the man before was one Henry Haddock, who was carving a figurine. One out many that Dagur noticed littered the table in front of him.

"What are you doing here? It's Christmas, shouldn't you be at home or something?" Dagur asked curiously, noticing the somber and forlorn emotions rolling off of Henry like a wave.

"Could ask you the same thing," Henry grumbled snipply back, but it hardly held any heat as sadness overwhelmed it.

"I'm just picking up something from North's office... Why are you here?" Dagur's voice had quieted at the question as many morose scenarios as to why the other was here alone on Christmas looking like he had lost his dog.

"None of your business." Henry didn't bother to look away from his work.

"It certainly isn't, but I can't out of good conscienceness leave you here looking so... upset." Dagur didn't dare use the word sad as he wasn't sure how the other would react and kept his tone low and calm as one would to a scared animal.

Henry scoffed, now glancing up at him with narrowed eyes. "Good conscience? Since when have you ever had a good conscience?"

Ouch, but Dagur guessed he deserved that. "I do have one, I just chose to ignore it most of the time. Until lately it seems..." He shrugged the last comment away with his left shoulder before continuing. "Look, I know we have our differences and I know I'm an asshole at my best, but I truly am concerned for you right now and I'm not leaving until I can at least help you in some way."

"Help? You want to help me?" Henry shoved away from the table, making the chair screech against the floor, before standing up to his full hight and stared down at Dagur with a bewildered glare. "How the hell can you, the office devil, help me? We barely know each other, let alone trust one another, and you have been nothing but a nightmare since I started here! Don't think that I have changed my mind about you since this odd transition you're going through. You may be fooling everyone else, but you haven't fooled me!"

Henry was now pointing at Dagur's chest as his voice rose to a yell, letting out all the anger and resentment he held for Dagur that he had kept hidden for years. It hurt, but Dagur knew the auburn needed to get it out, get it off his chest. That this was a long time in the making.

"How could I ever talk to you about my problems after everything you've done not only to me, but to everyone? How do I know you won't take what I said to you in confidence and tell everyone else about it? Laugh about it with your buddies and make fun of me?" Henry pulled away and paced around the table, this new confidence in speaking his mind making him unable to stand still. "The stress you put me through week after week, day after day had me loosing sleep. For a while during the beginning I lost weight because I had lost my appetite thanks to stress! I had become self-conscious about everything I did because of you!

"The way you nitpick at every little thing I did, said, or dressed made it difficult to even be myself anymore! Oh I wanted to punch you in your stupid face for so long-"

"Then do it," Dagur interrupted softly, stopping Henry in his ranting.

"What?" Henry stared at him in confused suspicion from across the table.

"Punch me. If it'll help then do it. Fuck, I deserve it." He held his arms out at his sides and waited for the other to make his decision.

It did not take long. One second Henry was across from him, the next he was directly in front of Dagur.

Pain exploded across his nose and blood filled his mouth as he fell back onto the floor, seeing stars. Dagur sat up onto an elbow and brought a hand to his nose, his fingers coming away wet and red. "Fucking A!"

"You told me to!" Henry shouted in a panic as he shook his hand, most likely remembering that Dagur was his boss and could very well be fired by this.

"I didn't think you would," Dagur mumbled as he stood up, tilting his head back to keep blood from dripping over his clothes. 

"Yeah... well." The auburn crossed his arms defensively and looked away.

"Need to take another shot at me?"

Henry's eyes widened and snapped back to his. "You're only allowing this so you can use it against me later to fire me."

"I know you don't believe me, but I promise I'm not. Like I said, I deserve it-" Dagur's breath left him as he slumped forward and fell to his knees, holding onto his gut where Henry had punched him and used the other to hold himself up from the floor. "Fucking hell, you hit harder than I expected," he wheezed.

"Really? 'cause I was holding back."

Dagur looked up at him in a shocked, pained daze and blinked several times. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Dagur took a moment to catch his breath before standing up, face sore and stomach a wreck. "Feeling any better?"

"... No." Henry wrapped his arms back around himself, this time more loosely in a comforting manner, and stared down at the floor; all anger flooding out from his body.

"Need to take another shot?" Dagur asked warily, not sure he could take another.

This drew a small smile from the auburn and he shook his head. "No. Even if I wanted to it wouldn't change how I'm feeling right now." The smile dropped and was replaced by a sad frown.

"Tell me what you're feeling then or what's causing you to be so gloomy." Dagur sat on top of the table and placed his hands over his lap. "Trust me on this, keeping everything locked away is not good. It'll eat at you from the inside out. I should know..."

Henry watched him quietly, assessing him and weighing his options. "Astrid and I... we broke up a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh," was all Dagur said, because what else could he say.

But apparently that wasn't all.

"She had gotten her dream job a couple of months ago, but it's across county and we mutually agreed that trying to have a long distance relationship wasn't working," the auburn continued. "And Toothless..." he choked up and his bottom lip trembled, tears starting to gather in his eyes. "Toothless died last week."

Dagur felt a pang of sorrow fill him at this revelation and frowned sadly at the other. He too knew the feeling of losing a pet, a best friend, and family member.

"He had advanced bone cancer and I had to put him down when he broke his leg." Henry let out a shaky breath and sniffed, wiping the tears that had escaped. "And I'm alone on Christmas for the first time not just because of that, but also because whatever family I had is dead or doesn't know I exist and my friends are spending time with their own family." He let out a mirthless chuckle and cover his face with his hands. "God, you must think I'm pathetic."

"Not at all," Dagur softly returned. "I think you've been given a shitty hand and that I shouldn't let you spend a minute more here. Come on, you're coming with me."

Henry sputtered and stared at him in bewilderment. "Wait, what? Do you expect me to come home with you?"

"To my sister's home more like." Dagur gathered Henry's coat and helped the confused man into it.

"But, wait, wouldn't she be mad if I just showed up?" The auburn barely put on a struggle when Dagur began to lead him out with a hand on the small of Henry's back.

"I don't believe so. I think considering the circumstances you're in she might welcome you with open arms and try to smother you with affection." Dagur pushed the down button at the elevator, completely forgetting why he had come to the office in the first place, and gently pushed Henry inside once the doors binged open.

Henry seemed to deflate in defeat and awkwardly stood beside Dagur quietly, nose buried in the raised collar of his coat. 

Once down in the garage, Dagur continued to lead Henry to his car and opened the passenger door for the auburn before closing it. He walked to the other side of the vehicle and climbed into the driver's seat, turning it on and flipping on some music. An oldies song came through the stereo as he drove out of the garage onto the road. The trip back to Heather's house was quick and once there, he could feel the tension around Henry grow. It didn't bother Dagur as he knew it would soon dissipate once the introductions were done, Bella having that kind of effect on people.

As predicted, Heather had fallen asleep on the couch and was lightly snoring away while Bella had barely moved from her spot, still coloring away. Jay was in the rocking chair, holding Annette, and the twins still appeared to be taking naps. Only an hour had passed and Dagur was glad he had arrived back in time before the house became chaos once more. Jay looked up from his daughter and gave Henry a questioning look before staring wide eyed at Dagur, waiting for an explanation.

Bella looked up as well and her smile grew at who was beside her father, waving excitedly. "Hello Henry, I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't either," the auburn replied with a small smile of his own.

Bella turned her smile towards Dagur, but then it dropped at the bruising and blood on his face. "Dad! What happened?" She stood up and hurried over to him.

Dagur realised he had forgotten to clean himself off before coming back and tried to smile it off, not wanting to scare his daughter. "Nothing to worry about, just a minor... misunderstanding?"

By the look on both Bella's and Jay's face, they didn't believe him. Henry didn't look all that amused either.

"Seriously, don't worry about it," Dagur pressed. "I'll just head down and get cleaned up. El, be a dear and wake up your aunty to introduce her to Henry." He left with a teasing wink towards Henry, who looked like a deer in headlights.

Shirt changed and face washed, Dagur was back up just in time to witness Henry teaching Bella how to properly shade in her drawings and see Annette had exchanged hands from Jay to Heather, who was now staring up at him with a mischievous smirk. Dagur rolled his eyes before treading back into the living room, holding his arms out for the baby.

"So," Heather started as she handed off the baby to him, "did you get what you needed at the office?"

Dagur stilled mid sway, baby cradled to his chest, as his eyes widened down at her. Shit.

...

Dagur ended up not going back to the office in order to help Henry ease into his family antics and act as a buffer if need be (he hadn't), wanting the auburn to feel comfortable in Heather's home. The twins had woken up not long after Henry's arrival and were not shy to say hello before showing him all their new toys, showing him how they worked. The pair of three year olds then tried to drag the Henry to their room, the auburn looking quite awkward and nervous about it, until Dagur stepped in and had the twins clean up said toys so no one would trip over them. Henry gave Dagur a thankful look and was pulled into a conversation with Heather.

Dinner wasn't fanciful, just a few frozen pizzas popped into the oven as what had become their tradition a few years ago (much to Heather's adoptive parents' chagrined), and a game of cards against humanity (family edition) was started. All adults took turns keeping an eye on the twins until Bella got bored and ushered them upstairs to play a game. Anette was wrapped up and cradled on the triangle Dagur's legs made when he rested a foot on top of a knee. Laughter was had, crusts were dipped in ranch, and for a moment, Henry looked as if he had forgotten the terrible luck he had fallen into.

Dagur found it hard to focus when Henry laughed or smiled, genuinely for the first time in front of him. It was a beautiful sight and Dagur could feel himself re-falling for the other after working so hard to drag himself out of the hole that was Henry. His heart beat quickly when that smile was directed at him and Dagur gulped as heat built up beneath his collar. He felt an elbow jab into his side and glanced over to see his sister waggle her eyebrows, having noticed everything. Dagur shook his head and decided to ignore him, winning the next round.

It was late before Dagur decided that it was time to go, Bella having fallen asleep on the couch and the twins already in bed. The card game had switched over to Trivia, a very old version of it, and both Dagur and Henry proved to be quite the smarty-pants, but Henry ended up being the victor.

"We should get going, it's starting to get late," Dagur yawned out before standing, popping his back, while Jay put away the game.

"Definitely bedtime," Heather agreed, her own eyes drooping tiredly. "You can leave Bella here another night so you don't have to wake her, I don't mind."

"You sure?" He gave his sleeping girl a soft smile and moved to stand over her to pull a few strands away from her face.

"Yeah. She's great with the boys, keeps them distracted so I can rest." Heather didn't bother moving from her spot as she held Annette, who had started to become fussy and mouth at her mother's chest. "You can leave her on the couch, it's probably more comfortable than the air mattress."

"Ok, thanks." He made his way back to his sister and leaned down to kiss her cheek, keeping his eyes from wondering below her face as she promptly pulled down the collar of her shirt and bra to plop out a breast, helping Annette find the nipple.

"Remember, mom and dad will be here tomorrow and want to have a 'proper' Christmas with the kids."

Dagur threw his head back and groaned. "Can you make sure they at least keep the Christmas lights off and don't add any tinsle, I had a headache for days that no store bought drug could fix last year because your mom just had to go all out."

Heather rolled her eyes endearingly before wincing down at Anne. "You can call them mom and dad too, you know? I'm sure they'd be over the moon."

"No. Why? It's weird. They're your parents, not mine. They adopted you, not me," Dagur explained simply without animosity, as if it didn't bother him. And it didn't. He hardly knew his sister back then.

"You're my brother," Heather quietly argued.

"Doesn't change anything. They're still Mr. and Mrs. Neil to me."

She looked as if she had a lot more to say, but thankfully held her tongue and dropped it.

"What time do they fly in? I can pick them up."

"One in the afternoon."

"Ok. Call me if you need anything and I'll be right over." Dagur patted Heather's shoulder before departing from her, turning around and heading for the front door where Henry currently stood awkwardly.

"My knight in shining armor," she teased at his back.

Henry and Dagur left the house and entered Dagur's car, putting the heat and fan on full blast once turned on.

"Where am I taking you?" Dagur asked, one hand on the wheel and the other on the shift.

"I..." Henry hesitated a moment, staring at him intensely and unreadably. "I don't know..." the auburn whispered quietly as he stared down at his lap, everything that had happened over the past month weighing him down once more. "I don't really... want to go home right now."

Against his better judgement, Dagur suggested gently, "You can stay at my place... If you like."

The other's gaze snapped back to his and gave Dagur a bewildered look.

"What?" Dagur asked when Henry didn't answer.

"Nothing. It's just... all this, what you did for me today, is crazy," the auburn answered skeptically; eyebrows furrowed and smile upside down.

"I can understand the skepticism. After everything I put you through, I don't blame you." Dagur made the decision for Henry and pulled out of the driveway, heading towards his condo. 

"Yeah, well, don't expect me to change my mind about you after today." Henry leaned back against his seat tiredly and looked out the window. "But... thanks. For today, it really... it really helped."

"Don't mention it."

The drive was quiet for a bit before Henry spoke up again halfway there. "So Heather is your sister, but you both were adopted by different parents?"

Dagur held back a sigh of indignation, having hoped not to have this conversation at all with anyone. But, after everything, he supposed Henry deserved a little insight on his life. "Yup. Well, half sister more like. Same mother, different fathers. Our biological mother gave us up, left us at the hospital after Heather was born and ran away with her then boyfriend because he didn't want kids. Heather was adopted right out of the hospital while I was taken to foster care for a year before a married couple that had no right to have any kids at all adopted me."

"Oh, jeez, I had no idea," Henry mumbled. He had turned his gaze back towards Dagur and was watching him with suppressed pity.

"You weren't supposed to. I never spoke to anyone about it other than Heather."

"Why tell me then?"

"I guess because I believe you deserve to know a portion of why I am the way that I am. That I had let it define me, at least in the work space."

"And the rest?" Henry dared to ask, voice soft and curious.

"My wife divorced me three years after Bella was born and took everything other than my daughter from me, leaving me to move back in with my adoptive parents until I could pick up the pieces." Dagur gripped the steering wheel tightly as a wave of anger passed over him and glared out the windshield, snowflakes now blurring in front of him.

"That's terrible."

"It was. They had always criticized me growing up, making me feel helpless and like a doormat. It seemed like whatever I did, nothing made them proud of me. So I stopped trying and became, well..." 

"A bully," Henry finished for him in understanding, nodding his head as things seemed to click into place.

"Yeah. After I met Mala, I changed for her. Gave my everything, my best, and she loved me just as I loved her. We married as soon as I finished highschool and I moved in with her. We then had Bella not long after and she changed, becoming withdrawn. Severe postpartum depression and she wouldn't get help." Dagur turned into the parking lot that was surrounded on three sides by condominiums. "After she left I decided that love, that being *nice* wasn't worth it. That I wouldn't allow myself to be treated like that again. Which is ironic because I've made sure Bella didn't turn out like me."

"Well damn, that puts a change of perspective into mind," Henry mumbled, mostly to himself. "That still doesn't excuse the way you treat people."

"I've become very aware of that as of late." Dagur shut off his car and sat back in his seat. "It was actually Bella who helped me to overcome all *this*." He waved a lazy hand up and down his body as a prideful smile slipped onto his lips.

"She's a good kid. You've done a really good job in raising her despite everything."

Dagur's heart clenched in his chest at those words and inhaled sharply before tremblingly let it out. "You have no idea how much that means to me coming from you."

Henry smiled gently at him and Dagur felt light, like a weight had been taken off his back.

"Let's get inside before it gets too cold," Dagur suggested and quickly slipped out, waiting until Henry climbed out.

He lead the other up to his condo and unlocked the door, holding it open and closing it behind Henry. Once the lock was back into place, he turned and found himself crowded against the door, Henry's face rather close to his. For a moment Dagur feared he was about to be hit again, but then a hesitant pair of lips pressed against his and he tensed more than he would have if he had been hit. Those lips became more demanding as long fingered hands cupped Dagur's head and held him place as a tongue pushed its' way into his mouth.

Dagur placed his hands onto Henry's shoulders and pushed him away, gasping in shuddering breaths. If Dagur wasn't trying to become a better person he would have allowed this with little regrets, but as it is, he couldn't continue knowing that this could potentially hurt Henry more than it would help.

"Stop, this isn't right," Dagur whispered, unable to look into Henry's eyes. "You don't want this."

"Who are you to say what I want or don't want? Don't you want me?" 

Dagur snapped his gaze up with a frown, not liking the blank stare on the other. "I do. Fuck I want you, but not like this. I'm no stand in or rebound or whatever the fuck you're using me for. You don't even like me..."

"I do, or at least starting to. I just need to feel something other than this pain that's gripping me so tight I can barely breathe some times."

Dagur let out a deep breath as his gaze softened sadly, knowing exactly what the other meant. "You're grieving and you need to let yourself go through this, but not alone. Not always. Talk to someone and pour your heart out. Let it out and don't lock it away. It's not easy, but it'll help." 

Henry took in a shaky breath that rushed back out into a sob and before either of them knew it, the auburn began to cry. Dagur shushed him gently as he pulled Henry to him, embracing him and allowing him to curl up against Dagur's chest. Thanks to them not taking off their coats yet, Dagur didn't feel the wetness of the other's tears soaking into the material. He rubbed Henry's back and tucked his chin over the auburn's head, feeling a little awkward that he was doing this for a past victim of his bullying.

When Henry calmed down and pulled away to wipe his tears, Dagur picked him up bridal style, making the other yelp and cling to Dagur in surprise, and carried him upstairs to his bedroom. He sat Henry down on the edge of the bed and began pulling off his coat, setting it on a chair in the corner of the room. He then moved onto Henry's shoes.

When Dagur started to unzip Henry's sweater, the auburn said, "I thought you said you weren't going to have sex with me."

"I'm not, I'm just taking care of you. And we can't exactly go to bed still dressed in our winter gear," Dagur replied in a mumble, slipping the sweater from Henry's body before moving on to his own coat and boots.

Henry did nothing more than stare at Dagur oddly when he slipped beneath the blankets and laid down. Porch and street lights filtered in through the window curtains, brightening the room just enough for Dagur to notice the other's expression. He sighed and pulled the covers back before patting the empty space next to him, hoping Henry would climb in with him. The auburn took a moment before doing so and curled up on his side away from Dagur, his whole body tense. Henry stiffened further when Dagur pressed up against his back and wrapped his arms around him, spooning him.

They laid there quietly, Henry slowly relaxing in Dagur's hold, before the auburn mumbled, "Thanks... I really appreciate this."

"No problem," Dagur replied quietly back, nose brushing the back of Henry's neck and breath fanning hotly against the other's skin. "Seemed like you really needed it."

Henry nodded and snuggled further back against him, a hand moving over one of Dagur's. The auburn fell asleep quickly, the exhaustion and emotional roller coaster of the day catching up to him. Dagur held on a little longer, wanting to enjoy the feel of Henry in his arms a bit more before being dragged down into sleep.

But eventually, he was out and waking up what felt like moments later to sunlight peeking through the curtains and the bed empty beside him. However, there was a note of gratitude, Henry's phone number, and a comment saying the auburn would like to try the road of forgiveness and give Dagur a chance. To become friends with him. Despite waking up alone, Dagur felt elated and tapped Henry's number into his phone, but did not want to appear too eager and scare the other away by calling right away. He would within the next couple of days, say hello and ask him about his day.

Yet when the weekend rolled by and Monday came along with work, Dagur had yet to message Henry; chickening out everytime he tried and feeling unworthy of the other's affection. Maybe facing Henry and seeing with his own eyes that what happened on Christmas wasn't all a dream, that Henry really did want to be his friend. He was in the elevator thinking this when the doors dinged opened to his floor and stepped out with his head down towards his phone.

His brows furrowed at the lack of bluster, cinnamon-y smell, and flickering lights in his peripheral, giving him pause. His brows rose when he looked up and saw anything related to Christmas was gone, stopping a passing employee.

"You took the decorations down?" Dagur asked curiously, remembering the woman he stopped was one of the ones who had been very into the whole Christmas spirit thing. He thought she would have kept everything up until the first of January.

The woman frowned and shook her head. "Henry from a few floors down took them down over the weekend and said something that since Christmas was over there was no point in keeping them up any longer." She looked upset by Henry's actions and continued on towards her cubicle.

Dagur blinked several times, surprise and admiration filling him at what Henry had done. He finished his way to his office and sat down at his desk after pulling off his jacket and hanging it over the back of the door, taking his phone from his coat pocket. He sent a short text to Henry, thanking him for taking down the decorations. He didn't have to wait long before the other replied back with a simple 'you're welcome'.

Wanting to keep the messages flowing, Dagur then asked how the last couple of days went. Was Henry feeling alright. Everything still hurt, but it was getting better thanks to Dagur.

...

And so began the avalanche of texts between the two of them over the next few days; starting off light, simple conversations to feel each other out. See where they stood and what was ok to talk/joke about. Toothless was still a sore subject so he was off the tables. Dagur didn't want to even mention Mala ever again if he could and told Henry so, including the divorce. Boundaries had been put into place, lines that neither wanted cross and both agreed.

It wasn't hard to keep his growing friendship from his daughter as his head was down towards his phone most evenings as he and Henry messaged each other while Dagur worked on his computer. Bella was ecstatic about it and couldn't hold back the proudness from her voice as she spoke excitedly. She then told Heather, who teased him mercilessly about it, to which Dagur expressed he was no longer grateful he had a sister. Heather laughed him out of her home.

Despite the growing friendship, Dagur and Henry had yet to see each other in person since Christmas; neither of them having the confidence to take the short elevator ride to either of their floors. Dagur despised his cowardice and was happy when it was taken out of his hands when Bella used his phone to call Henry and invite the auburn to her birthday party two weeks into January. Her birthday was on a Wednesday, but the party would be held on a Saturday after it; her special day celebrated with family while the party with friends.

What Dagur didn't know was that Henry was invited to the Wednesday celebrating dinner until there was a knock on his door and Henry stood there awkwardly when Dagur answered it. 

"Hey," Henry greeted stiffly.

"Hey," Dagur replied in surprise. "Uh..."

"Bella called me on your phone and invited me over for her birthday," Henry explained at Dagur's confused expression, holding out a small wrapped box. "I hope that's alright, I didn't know she hadn't told you."

"Yeah, no, yes, I mean yeah it's alright. Come in." Dagur stepped away from the door and allowed Henry to enter before taking the box from the auburn. "It's just me and her tonight. Nat and Kay are feeling sick, so Heather is keeping the twins home and Jay is working late. Sooo..."

"That's ok. It's actually a relief to tell the truth." Henry slipped off his boats and coat and placed them in the closet. "I'm not up for a crowd tonight, even if it were small." He took the gift from Dagur as his grin softened a bit. 

"Hard day?" Dagur lead the other into the kitchen where Bella sat, patiently waiting for her food that Dagur had yet to finish scooping out into bowls.

"You could say that," Henry mumbled before he was bombarded by Bella.

She had jumped from her chair once she saw Henry and ran up to him to give him a hug. "You made it! Thank you so much for coming!"

Henry was a bit taken back by the sudden embrace around his waist, but softly hugged back when she showed no signs of letting go until he did so. "I thought it would be impolite if I declined. And I wanted to come." He spoke the last part while staring right at Dagur.

"Why don't we sit down and eat before it gets cold," Dagur suggested with a small waver to his voice, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "I made chilli, I hope that's alright."

"Sounds delicious," Henry said genuinely as he took a seat across from Dagur at the four person table, Bella sitting down to his left.

"It is delicious! It's my favorite," Bella joyfully said as she wiggled in her seat, becoming impatient while Dagur filled three bowls. She clapped her hands excitedly when hers was placed in front of her first, but did not dig in until different dished confections were placed on the table as well. She scooped up a nice helping of cheese and sour cream into her bowl before crumbling a handful of chips on top, stirred it all together, and chowed down.

Dagur did the same, with less cheese and cream, and watched as Henry left his chilli as is. Henry took his first bite tentatively before humming pleasantly, taking a bigger bite. Dinner was eaten in silence, the three too focused on eating to speak. After dinner came the opening of Henry's present, which had Bella squealing in delight at the white dragon plushie with rainbow wings. She ran off with it to her room to play with it with her other toys and became rather preoccupied to remember that they had a guest.

"I'm glad she liked it," Henry said once Bella had disappeared up the stairs. "I wasn't sure if she liked dragons or rainbows."

"Good thing for you she likes both," Dagur chuckled as he started gathering dishes. "Even if she didn't, she'd still say she liked it to not hurt your feelings." He set the dishes into the sink and began rinsing them off before placing them into the dishwasher.

"She's a good kid."

"I don't know where she gets that from." 

"From you, obviously."

Dagur raised a brow at the other and gave him a disbelieving look. 

Henry sighed from where he sat at the table and rolled his eyes, giving Dagur a look of amusement. "Look, despite everything that you've done in the past, I believed you when you said you raised Bella to be a good person and it clearly shows. And I can honestly see a difference with you at work that, unfortunately, I didn't believe until as of late."

"Thanks. And... I understand. I wasn't exactly boss of the year." Dagur closed the washer's door and dried his hands with a dish towel before tossing it onto the counter.

"No. No you weren't," Henry readily agreed, but there was a teasing tone to his voice as he smirked playfully up at Dagur. 

Dagur smiled ruefully back. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"As long as it's not alcoholic."

"Two cherry sodas coming right up." Dagur pulled two glass bottles of cherry soda from the fridge and gave one to Henry, sitting back down across from the other. 

"Thanks."

"Yup... want to tell me about your day?" He twisted the lid off and drank a good portion that made his eyes start to water from the fizz before placing his drink down onto the table.

The smile fell from Henry's face as he fiddled with the neck of his drink, looking down at it. "It's nothing, just miss Toothless."

"Have you talked to anyone about it?" Dagur kept his gaze steadily on Henry, watching the other as the auburn chewed on his bottom lip.

"Not really..."

"Henry-" Dagur started with exasperation, but was cut off.

"I don't really have anyone I trust to talk to and I didn't want to add my problems onto Astrid's, she's already got a lot going on right now," Henry murmured. He took a small sip of his soda and would not look at Dagur.

He inwardly winced at what that implied, that Henry didn't see him as someone he trusted and Dagur didn't blame him. "What about work buddies... or me?"

"I don't really have work buddies and I don't want to add any more stress on you than you already have. You run the company after all."

A bright feeling swelled within Dagur at this explanation and he held back a grin. This wasn't about him after all... "Henry, it's what friends do. Are we not friends?"

"No, we are! It's just-"

"Then lay it on me." Dagur spread his arms before folding them together over the table. "Don't lock it all up and hide it away."

Henry gave him a reproachful look, weighing his thoughts, and pursed his lips a moment. "Ok. Ok, fine. It's not just about Toothless then. Yes, I'm still quite upset he's gone, but it's also everything that's happened between us since Christmas. I'm... conflicted and confused and unsure on how to proceed."

"Proceed?"

"... With us." A flush disturbed Henry's cheeks and he was quick to glance away as he regathered his confidence to continue. "Talking to you through text is great, fun even, but it feels a little impersonal now that I've started to feel comfortable with you."

"Comfortable?" There was a lightness to his voice and a small smile had started to grow at the revelation.

"I know people text and message each other all the time whether they're new or old friends, but I feel like things can be misunderstood, you know? You can't hear another's tone through the message and I don't want to accidentally mess this up between us." Awkward and stiff, Henry took a quick drink of his soda to shut himself up.

"You think you're the one that's going to mess up this new found friendship between us?" Dagur chuckled with disbelief and ran a hand through his hair.

"You've been thinking the same thing?"

"Well duh. Jerk tries to redeem himself and becomes friends with one of his victims? I thought it was bad prompt to the beginning of a romance movie and that I was dreaming. Thought I was hallucinating all those texts. And then you show up tonight... might be still." Dagur grinned when Henry snorted into a giggle. "Maybe we can still text during work, but call more after hours? Or hang out more?" He really hoped he didn't yell desperation at the thought of spending more time with Henry as he spoke.

The auburn took a second to think about it before nodding. "Doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Really? Because usually I'm just full of them."

Henry laughed and Dagur grinned brilliantly.

...

Family game night that Dagur and his sister's family usually did on Sundays now had an extra, who was extremely good at word games. Movie marathon Fridays consisting of Dagur, Bella, and Henry became a thing a month after Bella's birthday and Henry admitted he had never seen The Hobbit movies. And every other Saturday consisted of Henry and Dagur meeting up at a coffee shop or cafe before bringing Bella to the park, indoor play place, or recreational building. Calls between them had become more frequent as they learned each other's schedules with Bella sometimes butting in when done at home.

If there was one thing that was consistent within all that, it was Bella. Even when they spoke on the phone at work, Bella came up time and again in their conversations and Dagur had started to notice something. Henry never once showed annoyance, irritation, disbelief, or frustration that Bella always seemed to be there even when she wasn't. Dagur also noticed at how Henry started to speak of Bella, like she was important. As if she was a part of his life as much as she was a part of Dagur's; like a proud parent sharing her achievements together. 

He gasped in shock one day in his office when that suddenly occurred to him and he was grateful he was alone with the windows fogged up, hiding the sudden overwhelming emotions that bubbled forth. Not once during his and Henry's friendship did Dagur try to flirt, ask out, or make a move on the other as Dagur wanted to give Henry his space as he got over his breakup with Astrid. Also, Dagur wanted their friendship to grow first, to become more comfortable with each other, before he did anything to shift their relationship into a romantic one.

But after those revealing thoughts, at how close Henry had become with Bella, Dagur was beginning to think that it was time to move forward. First thing that needed to be done was asking the other out on a date. 

Now how to go about it...

He could send a text, say 'hey, wanna go out on a date?', but that seemed wrong. Maybe call instead and say 'hey, wanna go on a date?'. No, that still seemed wrong. Going up to Henry and asking seemed like a bad idea as well as he didn't want the other to feel pressured by the hopeful look Dagur would undoubtedly have on his face. Nothing seemed to come to mind for weeks until he passed by a bouquet of flowers sitting on a table between the office's coffee makers one morning.

Glancing around to make sure no one was looking, he swiped a daisy (the first flower his fingers grabbed) from the bouquet and hurried off to his office. He took a post it note and wrote down 'would you like to accompany me to dinner Friday night at six? -Dagur.' He then rolled it up and wrapped a rubber band around it and the flower before using the boy who dropped off the office's mail to send it to Henry.

Dagur sat there for what felt like an eternity when a note was returned by the same boy, who wondered off to finish his assigned job. He quickly unfolded it with shaking hands and a thudding heart, taking a moment to calm down before reading it.

*I would love to accompany you to dinner.* -Henry

Dagur jumped up from his seat and whooped with excitement, punching his fists into the air and gathering his employees' attention. The note still in hand.

"About time you asked me out," Henry's voice teased, making Dagur snap his gaze towards his office door that the auburn was leaning against; having not noticed that it had been opened and shut. "Was beginning to lose hope."

Dagur dropped his arms and gave the other a confused frown. "Wait... you've been waiting for me to ask you out?"

"For a while now." Henry smirked softly. "I honestly wasn't sure if you still liked me like that once we got to know each other, but then I found this." He made his way to Dagur's desk and handed him a crumbled piece of paper. "Didn't want to steal your thunder."

Dagur blushed when he recognized not only his hand writing, but also the plan he had started to make on how to ask Henry out and where to take him. He felt mortified while Henry appeared amused. "Oh god." 

"I rather like the idea of having a picnic in your living room while Bella stayed with Heather." Henry waggled his eyebrows and laughed when Dagur covered his face with the paper to hide his embarrassment. "But I don't think I can wait until the third date before you kissed me."

The paper was tugged from his fingers, leaving his face bare and now aware that Henry had stepped around the desk to stand right next to him. Dry and soft fingertips touched Dagur's chin and gently pulled him towards the other, making his heart quicken its' pace. Dagur shuddered at the first press of lips, closing his eyes as brows rose for a quick second in wonder before letting out a sharp exhale through his nose and cupped the back of Henry's head. The other smiled into the kiss and moved his hands to Dagur's shoulders, gripping his shirt.

It was just a press of lips, nothing more, but it was electrifying and toe curling. They only pulled away when they noticed the muffled sound of clapping coming from outside the office. They both looked over towards the wall of windows and saw a group of Dagur's employees watching them, congratulating the two. Dagur groaned in embarrassment and pressed his face into Henry's neck to hide while the auburn laughed, running a hand through Dagur's hair.

"Maybe we should save the kissing for later. When there's not a group of people watching us?" Dagur suggested quietly as he pulled away from Henry, clearing his throat. "Ok, show's over! Back to work." Dagur waved away his employees and the group shuffled off back to their cubicles. "God..."

"I should get back to work too," Henry said as he fixed the collar of Dagur's shirt, a grin splitting his face. "We'll go straight to dinner after work Friday so we don't have to worry about running home, getting dressed, and meeting up somewhere or having one of us pick the other up."

Dagur raised a brow, but was smirking as he grabbed Henry's hands before they dropped back to his sides. "I take it we'll be driving my car, hm?"

"Course, I don't have a vehicle of my own."

They shared a chuckle, one last quick peck on the lips, before Henry left back to his own floor, leaving Dagur to plan the perfect living room picnic.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh she said her name was Bella Belle, soft and sweet like caramel. Girl is trouble can't you tell (Bella Belle by swing circus). Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, leave a kudo and comment. Show the love.


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